Starting your sustainable home journey with delicate decor

Glasswork and ceramics: why it’s our favourite 2020 decor trend and can be the best beginning to your sustainable home journey

I’ve always adored glasswork and ceramic decor in my personal space; which is full of unique little jugs, jars, mugs and trinket bowls that I’ve collected over the years. I seem to be one within a sea of delicate decor collectors that adore the trend that was so big in 2020 and is sure to be reflected in years to come. 

I love the subtlety of ceramic design and the way glasswork can cast a tainted glare over a usually bland wall. But what I love most about both intrinsic styles is how they can be the best stepping stone into a sustainable, pre-loved home journey - as I myself have found.

Before we get into a wonderfully bright interview with my ultimate favourite collector, Scout Goods, let’s brush up on the Mid-century modern and Art Deco trends that are now renowned for introducing the said crafted trinkets into our homes.

Mid-century modern

Mid-century modern spanned from 1933 to 1965. The style followed-on from Early 20th century Modernism and was influenced greatly by the Bauhaus movement. Mid-century modern was catapulted into trend following World War II when families moved out of the cities and into small, rural homes. The trend brought functionality and brightness to the forefront as well as simplicity and a return to nature that we can often identify in the ceramics and glassworks derived from the time.

In an interview with Clever online, founders of Home Union, Meghan Lavery and Daniel King, who also have an adoration for vintage candlestick holders, noted that in order to identify authentic Mid-century modern homeware you should search for the country of manufacture.

Art Deco

Art Deco was brought to the forefront of design in the 1920s and is renowned for its luxury materials, vivid colours and bold geometric designs. We often see the beauty of the trend mimicked on TV, where the true luxury and essence of Art Deco is represented in hotels, offices and clubs - some of Art Decos most prominent homes.

According to Architecture.com, the style overlapped with Modernism due to the use of clean lines and minimalism in decor. Regardless, the style is making a glamorous return to homes today, leaving a trace of the roaring twenties in all its luxury in its wake. To get in on the trend, start with some geometric shapes around the home through the introduction of ceramics or glasswork, or even some mirrors.

We’ve raved on about the beauty of Mid-century modernism and Art Deco, but who can we thank for allowing the traces of such trends to live on in the elements of our homes? I interviewed the wonderful collector and creative, Daisy Payne who you may know through the infatuating online shop Scout Goods that sources and sells authentic vintage glasswork and ceramics.

Based in London, Scout Goods is an assortment of collected and cured objects, sourced from far and wide and shipped off to new homes in eco-friendly packaging. Daisy has always been interested in collecting items and trinkets since she was small; roaming around car boot sales where she adored the thrill of finding treasures in amongst bundles of bits and bobs. The love that she found in unwanted decors inspired Daisy to start Scout Goods, “I’ve always been fascinated by history too, and the history attached to each piece – when and where was it made? Who owned it? Where has it been sitting all these years? I just love that element to vintage pieces,” Daisy said.

Daisy had been toying with the idea of starting a homeware business for many years, initially collecting items for her dream shop in early 2019. With the energy of a little baby occupying her days (and her ever so successful plant-based dessert company The Hardihood), Daisy never got around to starting the business until lockdown where she found herself drowning in time and mountains of items that needed new homes.

Now with almost 2k followers on Instagram, Daisy’s business is flourishing before her eyes, and it’s all down to the wonderful delicate decor that we’re all craving currently. Daisy’s true success lies in her keen eye for vintage glasswork and ceramics, as well as her passion for what she does. “I’m always sourcing,” she began. “Whether we go away somewhere new or visit family members who live far away, I’m always finding out where the best shops and fairs are held.” Daisy finished, but not before noting that the more remote your sourcing destinations, the better items you’ll find!

Daisy isn’t at all possessive of her passion. In fact, she urges others to go out and source for themselves. During our chat, Daisy shared her thoughts on self-sourcing as the perfect way to begin your very own vintage and planet-friendly home journey. “There are so many beautiful items that exist in the world already that there really is no need for us to be constantly buying new things,” she urged whilst noting that if you like the aesthetic of vintage pieces, why not buy those instead of new items that are often rip-offs of old designs anyway (and far more cheaply made!) It makes total sense.

There’s truly no better time - even during lockdown - to get out there and source your own home decor, safely! Daisy agrees that ceramics and glasswork are having a real moment right now, hence why they have been so popular on Scout Goods who are trying to turn the attention away from high-street homeware companies re-creating vintage glasswork styles. “I think it’s just madness, especially when you could have an original piece that comes with all the true design and history?”

In the spirit of self-sourcing and buying authentic, Daisy has offered us an insight into the thoughts of a true collector, with the first law being to listen to your gut and go with the pieces that you’re really drawn to. Daisy said, “Sometimes I walk away from an item and if I’m drawn back again I have to pick it up.”  When picking up prized possessions, Daisy has two more rules; always checks the bottom of an item for a hint of the age and maker, and be vigilant in checking for damage. “I have sadly come away with some items that I didn’t immediately see were damaged, meaning I definitely over-paid for them.”

With some initial tips and tricks for self-sourcing now under our belts, Daisy offered an insight into her favourite micro-trend at the moment, mushroom-shaped decor. “I’m absolutely drawn to the bold and simply stand-out silhouette popping up in lamp designs and paperweight styles everywhere,” she said.  “The mushroom-shaped design has roots dating back to the 50s and the 70s, periods in interiors that people are obsessed with right now, so it’s no surprise that these have become popular again,” she enlightened us.

It’s safe to say that we’re all falling head over heels for the mushroom-silhouette designs at the moment, but can we agree with Daisy on what we envision as the ideal home? When asked where she would ideally live, Daisy imagined a period property, possibly Georgian, with an eclectic mix of traditional styles and plenty of room to house lots of vintage homewares, of course. “My partner and I are currently looking for our perfect home, however, he despairs of how many items I collect on our travels so his idea of the perfect home is one that has cabinets that neatly stores all of my collected items,” she laughed.

Finally, in returning to the topic of glasswork and ceramics, I asked Daisy what her ultimate choice would be if she were to be asked to choose between bright glasswork or neutral ceramics. “Although I love glassware, personally I love a slightly more muted milky-tone palette and ceramics give you just that,” Daisy said before adding, “I’m really drawn to anything scalloped or shell-shaped but some beautifully coloured glasses or milk-coloured glass cups and saucers definitely need to be in my home too.”

This article truly encapsulates everything I adore about glasswork and ceramics. The wider idea of shopping second hand for them is ever so important and romanticised more than ever, with every item having a history with a past lover. Like wrinkles, items have cracks, chips and stains that are a sign of once being loved and used; making an item unique and different, and we love them all the more for it.

This is also why this trend is perfect for those beginning to get into the habit of shopping second hand for their homes. You’re not expected to be thrift enthusiasts that know the age, worth and health of an item. Shopping for ceramics and glasswork is inevitably going to come with age and wear, so just pick them up and cradle them in your home. If you still don’t feel ready to take the plunge into shopping for delicate decor, head on over to Daisy and ask for some more advice, or even get your hands on one of her collected items!

Be sure to check out Scout Goods online. If you find yourself in a love affair with the idea of collecting vintage delicate decor, be sure to check out more of my favourite collectors online, including; FINNA Vintage, Foxberry Vintage and The Attic London.